


Resilience | Levi Ackerman x Reader

by mousiepoo



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: F/F, F/M, Gen, M/M, Multi, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-24
Updated: 2021-02-23
Packaged: 2021-03-14 10:08:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 8
Words: 9,277
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29665680
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mousiepoo/pseuds/mousiepoo
Summary: Hi! I have reposted this from Wattpad because Wattpad is kinda sucky.[Name] is a brave soldier in the Scout Regiment. They are newly promoted to the rank of Section Captain. Watch as [Name] begins to fall for their long-time comrade and friend, Levi Ackerman and watch as he reciprocates their feelings.NOTE: I will try and write Levi as close to how he acts in the anime and manga. I will also base his personality as close to as how Hajime Isayama has said he acts; for example, when he develops feelings for someone, he will be a bit bashful.FINAL NOTE: I will try and make this as inclusive to everyone as possible. I am making the main character gender neutral and I won't describe any of their physical features. It's all for you to make up :) Also, if I slip up and accidentally say they have a certain characteristic, please let me know and I will fix it as soon as possible! I also might be changing the storyline slightly so please don't bully me. I will also be adding filler characters when I don't have any main characters that fit a certain role :)
Relationships: Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin)/You, Levi Ackerman & Reader, Levi Ackerman/Reader
Comments: 1
Kudos: 48





	1. Prologue

**[8 years earlier]**

_Blood_

_Sweat_

_Tears_

_And a bit of rain and mud._

These substances saturated your body as you and your fellow comrades in the 102nd Cadet Corps. ran through the thick, wet, and hot rainy atmosphere. You heard the sound of hundreds of boots colliding with the muddy ground. The air was filled with the sounds of your fellow soldiers' gasps and pants for air. You kept your mind empty, staring at the blanket of fog front of yourself, pushing the feeling of your burning calves and lungs away.   


_'Come on, [Name]! Push yourself! Prove them wrong!'_

You chanted this to yourself in your head as you felt exhaustion getting the best of you. Within this exhaustion, you felt a slight bolt of energy as you saw one of your friends out in front of yourself a few meters. Your pace sped up a bit to catch up with them. This friend was Hange Zoe. Hange was an interesting person for sure, but they kept you entertained. You knew if you talked to them right now in the middle of training, your instructor would have both of your heads on a stake, so you kept your silence and just enjoyed their company as you ran through the forested and damp area.

You soon saw the lights of the barracks through the fog. You regain energy and determination at the sight. You were eager to get out of your disgusting clothes, take a shower, and eat dinner. The thought of the warm soup being served that night was enough to make your mouth water. You drastically sped up, running to the front of the herd of smelly teens as your desperation for sustenance grew more and more. 

As you drew close to the buildings, your sprint slowed to a halt as you were bent over with your hands on your knees panting for air desperately. You stayed there for a moment, resting your burning ribs while you stood out in the rain. You stood back up and wiped off the raindrops traveling down your face and walked to where your comrades were surrounding your instructor, waiting for further directions.

"Everyone! You all did very good this afternoon! I can already see what great soldiers most of you will shape out to become. You are dismissed until dinnertime. Good job!" the instructor shouted out to the sea of people.

You sighed in relief that you and the other trainees didn't have to do anything else this evening. You drowsily dragged yourself to the room that you shared with a few others. You grabbed some clean clothes and some shower supplies then made your way to the showers. Just as expected, the showers are pretty packed. Thankfully, each individual shower had a privacy curtain.

You pulled the curtain around yourself and your shower then began to peel the filthy clothing from yourself. You put the clothing in a disorganized pile on a bench within the shower cubical. You turned on the hot water and sighed in relief as the liquid ran down your worn out and scar-ridden body. It felt good to finally relax and wash the day away. 

After your shower, you walked to your usual table in the dining hall. Three of your close friends were seated at the table. Hange, Moblit, and Elaine. You took a seat across from Hange and next to Elane. The trio welcomed you saying various greetings. You nodded, acknowledging their welcoming aura.

"Today's training had me beat!" Hange stated with her usual enthusiasm, trying to start a conversation.

"My legs feel like they are melting," you groaned, agreeing with their statement while slouching over to rest your head on the table in front of yourself. Hange watched you and chuckled at your dramatic behavior.

Moblit yawned and rested his head against his fist. He looked like he was on the verge of passing out.

"Lets go, It looks like they are starting dinner," Elaine stated while she stood up from her seat while tucking her long curly hair behind her ear. 

You, Hange, and Moblit followed suit and made your way to the kitchen to pick up your food. You and your group hastily made their way back to your table, more than happy to be finally eating. You may have had the same potato stew and bread every single night for dinner, but that didn't matter. You were ravenous. You and your friends were too engrossed in filling your empty stomachs to make any sort of conversation. 

  


You wish times were as simple now as back then. Times have really changed.


	2. Chapter One

**[Present day]**

You woke up with your head resting on your desk to the sound of someone gently knocking on your office door.

"Um, Captain [Last Name]? Are you in there?" a familiar but timid voice called out to you from behind the doors.

You wiped the sleep from your eyes, fixed you disheveled hair, and cleared your throat, preparing to be seen by one of your subordinates .  
"Oh, yeah sorry, come in," you said in a groggy voice. 

The door opened to reveal Armin Arlert, a newer Cadet that was on your squad. You looked up at the clock to check the time. It was 12:36 PM. "Good afternoon, Armin. What brings you to my office?" you asked the blonde boy.

He looked at your messy self in a little bit of shock, it was quite out of character for you to be in such a disorganized state. "Oh uh Commander Erwin told me to tell you that there would be a meeting with all of the commanding officers at 4:00 today," he spat out nervously.

"Alright, thank you, Armin," You shot him a small smile of gratitude and then yawned, not fully out of your sleepy state. 

"Of course, Captain!" He said with a salute then left your office.

Once he had closed the door to your office, you let out a large sigh and massaged your temples with your fingertips, attempting to relieve the mountain of stress you were under. Thankfully, you had finished all of your paperwork last night. You stood up from your chair and stretched your tense limbs and began to exit your office.

You made your way through the long halls of the headquarters as you were heading towards the exit. You left the building. To get your mind off of the stress that you have been put through recently, you made your way to the stables. You had planned to ride your horse in the meadow for a while to ease your mind. You find being out in nature to be calming. 

You entered the stables and walked over to your large grey horse. You gave the large animal a soft loving pat on the nose as you began putting on its saddle. You put a couple of apples in your pocket in case your horse wanted a snack. As you approached your steed, about to mount it, you noticed another presence near you as well as the sound of walking. You turned at the sound to have your gaze met with one of your fellow commanding officers, Levi Ackerman. The two of you weren't great friends, but you were more than acquaintances. "Good afternoon, Ackerman," you greeted him in a formal manner.

He was standing a few meters to your right, preparing his own black horse. "Good afternoon to you too, [Last Name]. What brings you out here?" he asked, continuing the conversation.

"Oh, I just wanted to take a ride out into the field. A lot has been on my mind recently and I just wanted to clear my head a bit. What about you?"

"Actually, if you don't mind, I was wondering if it was okay for me to come with?" he responded in his usual bored manner.

You were taken aback for a moment. He didn't usually talk to you so you wondered where this was going. "Sure, I could use a bit of company!" you replied and sent him one of your usual warm smiles. 

The two of you hopped onto your horses and began walking towards the field. The methodical sound of the horses hooves softly patting against the firm dirt left you lost in thought as you and Levi rode side by side with about 2 meters separating your horses.

"What do you think the meeting Erwin has scheduled for later is about?" he asked, breaking the silence, not shifting his cold gaze from in front of him.

The sound of his stern voice startled you a bit. You glanced at him briefly and then back to the land in front of you before responding. "Maybe formation planning or a squad adjustment. I'm not too sure though, that man is unpredictable," you chuckled a bit at your own comment, "What about you, what do you think?" you continued.

"That's what I was thinking. Or, he could be adjusting the financial distribution."

You sighed. Oh Lord, working with the Regiment's finances was one of the most boring things on this planet. You prayed that wasn't it. "I hope not," you replied to his thoughts.

The two of you fell into silence once again. It wasn't an awkward silence, it was a peaceful kind of silence. You inhaled the fresh spring air; the smell of blooming daffodils filled your nose as the breeze tickled your face. It was a truly beautiful day. You noticed a small stream out in the distance a bit. You thought it would be nice for your horses to take a break and get a drink from the river.

"How about we go over to that stream up there a bit and let our horses drink?" you suggested, breaking the silence once again.

"Sure," he responded.

The two of you made your way to the river and dismounted your horses and lead them to the edge of the crystal clear river and allowed them to drink. You remembered that you had brought a couple of apples. You took them out of your pocket. 

"I brought an extra apple. Would you like to give one to your horse?" you offered the man kindly.

"Sure, thank you," he replied as you handed him the crisp red apple.

"Of course," you responded happily.

You walked to the front of your horse and brushed its mane from its big dark eyes. you rubbed its large nose before feeding the beautiful creature the apple. You rotated the apple for your horse as it ate the apples flesh.

You glanced over at Levi and his horse to see him wearing a small smile, lovingly patting his black horse while feeding it. You had never seen him look so content. It was strange seeing him act so soft regarding how he has such a cold presence. You didn't think about it though and went back to feeding your own horse. After it had finished the apple, you gave it a few soft pets and then allowed it to drink more from the stream.

"How are Hange's experiments with Jaeger going?" Levi asked calmly, averting his eyes to you, going back to his usual stoic self.

"They are..." you paused for a moment, trying to think of the proper words for how disastrous they were going, "they are going as well as they could be," you finished with a light chuckle.

"I bet," he replied in his usual sarcastic manner then took a deep breath from the warm air.

"It's been a while since we have had a day like this," he continued, making small conversation.

"Yeah, I have missed this," you replied to his comment, staring at your reflection in the stream.

"We should start heading back. It would be smart to start preparing for the meeting," you continued, looking up from the stream and turning to your horse to mount it.

Levi nodded slightly in agreement and began to mount his horse. The two of you made your way back to headquarters in a comfortable silence.


	3. Chapter Two

_Warning: The following chapter will have spoilers for season 2 and season 3. Proceed with caution. <3_

You and your fellow ranking officers were all gathered in the conference room, awaiting for Commander Erwin Smith. The 8 of you conspired about what the meeting was about and why your Commander was so late. He was usually very punctual so this stood out as fairly peculiar. You looked at the clock. 4:15 PM. What in the Hell? Where was he? Your thoughts were interrupted by the sound of Erwin opening the door and walking to his chair. You saw Levi shoot the man a glare from the corner of your eye.

"I apologize for my tardiness, I had important matters that had to be attended to," he explained then cleared his throat, preparing to explain why he had gathered us.

"So," he began. There was a long but comfortable pause as he began to formulate his words. "I decided to meet with you all today because I want to discuss plans for a future expedition," he continued.

"What?!?" a Section Leader by the name of Klaus exclaimed. "During our last expedition, we lost a fifth of our entire regiment! We can't do this right now, Commander!" the man pleaded.

"That's why we are planning first. We need to be smart about this. Hange, how are the experiments going with Eren? Is he able to reseal Wall Maria with his ability?" Erwin asked.

"He has been getting there slowly. We have hit somewhat of a plateau with the experiments. It really is hit or miss when it comes to his hardening ability," the scientist explained to their superior. 

"He has to. Don't stop testing until you are certain that he can do it. He is our only hope for reclaiming Maria."

"Yes, sir," Hange responded.

"Now, I have also decided to adjust and combine squads for this expedition. I know it isn't ideal to do so, but I have taken lots of thought and consideration and determined that this is our smartest move," the Commander further explained.

God Damn it! You hated when he moved squads around. Thankfully, he didn't do it often and he switched them back to the original squads once we were done with missions, but that didn't make it any less of an inconvenience to yourself and the others. These thoughts left your head though because you knew that it was for the best and would prevent the deaths of dozens of soldiers. You trusted Erwin's plans. He was a very smart and strategic man. 

His plans were probably for the best too. Our last expedition left Levi without a squad. The Female Titan wiped his entire squad out except for Eren and himself. You felt sorrow for him and his squad. You couldn't help but notice that his overall demeanor was slightly different since the incident. The death that hit you the hardest was definitely Petra's death. You considered her family; you still mourn over her death sometimes, but the past is in the past and she would have wanted you to move on. You then dug yourself out of your thoughts to listen to what he was going to say.

"First, I am going to move Rico to Averie's squad. I think it would be smart to have her strength to back you up," Erwin said to the tan woman to your left. She nodded in response, agreeing with the man's statement.

"Next, I am going to combine the remains of Levi's Squad with [Name]'s squad. Levi and [Name] can share a leadership role in the squad. We need the best of the best protecting Eren and this would be our best option," your Commander said.

"Yes, sir," you replied. 

You were pleasantly surprised. You have worked with Levi's squad in the past; your two groups worked together flawlessly. You shifted your gaze to meet Levi's. You gave him a small smile as if to say ' _welcome to our squad'_ and then returned your attention to Erwin.

"That is all of the changes that I will be making to the squads for now, but do keep in mind that anything could change in the following weeks. Lastly, I would like to discuss formations and how we will approach reclaiming Wall Maria," he paused for a moment as he scanned the tidy room with his diamond eyes. His eyes finally fell on the bookshelf that was resting against the wall to his right. He then looked back at the group.

"We will be departing from the District of Trost. [Name], I want you and Levi's squad directly in the middle, like usual. This will be best for protecting Eren from any oncoming threats as we travel from Wall Rose to Shiganshina District. I want Klause's squad to the left, Averie's squad to the right, Sean's squad directly behind, and Casey's squad directly in front of [Name] and Levi's squad. I will be at the front. Hange's squad will be to my right and Moblit's squad will be to my left," Erwin explained to the group.

The eight of you nodded in understanding.

"As we approach Shiganshina, I will call the outer squads to break off and speed ahead. Once you are far enough away, dismount your horses and use your ODM Gear to climb Wall Maria. You will fully search Shiganshina from the wall. If you see any threats or titans from the wall, execute them. Once all threats are eliminated, fire off a green flare," Erwin continued.

Klause and Averie nodded in understanding.

"[Name] and Levi's squad, Moblit's squad, and Hange's squad will proceed to enter Shiganshina once given the signal. Casey and Sean's squads will remain outside the walls to make sure nothing tries to get inside from the outside and protect the horses. I will remain outside the walls with your squads," Erwin paused for a moment, thinking about how to word his next lengthy explanation.

"Levi and [Name]'s squad will have to protect Eren at all costs. Even if it means loosing your lives. Protect him from danger while he seals up the holes. The Beast Titan, Armored Titan, and Colossal Titan are all expected to be there, so I can not promise that any of you will come out alive, but I do have hope and faith that most of you will." he breathed for a moment, "I think that is enough for tonight though, I will explain a bit more thoroughly once we set a foreseeable date. I would like this expedition to be within the next six months. We can adjust though. You are all dismissed."

You all nodded, grateful that this exhausting meeting was disbanded for the night and you all filed out of the room. As you began to make your way towards your office, you heard someone call out to you.

"[Last Name], can we talk about the situation with our squads?" the familiar deep monotone voice called out to you.

You turned to meet Levi's steel eyes. "Of course, we can discuss this in my office," you responded, rotating your head back to its previous position, continuing your long strides to your office. Levi followed you, not far behind.


	4. Chapter Three

**[Perspective change (woah, fancy): First Person]**

There we were, Levi and I were sitting in my large office. I was sat behind my desk as he was sat in the chair across the table from my own. I gathered the scattered papers that were on my desk and tapped them lightly against the wood, straightening the crisp white pages and then sat them to the left of me. My desk looked slightly nicer. I cleared my throat and averted my gaze to the man in front of me, waiting for what he had to say.

"We need to discuss times that our squad needs to meet for training as well as who and how many people are on your squad so we can accurately calculate how many reinforcing squads we need for our next expedition," the man said with his usual bored expression and monotone voice.

I nodded, understanding what he wanted. "My squad contains 7 people besides myself. It consists of Armin Arlert, Mikasa Ackerman, Laura Dean, Jean Kirstein, Cora Rodgers, Luther Miller, and Sasha Brouse"

"You have quite the strong squad," Levi complimented.

"Thanks, it's yours now too, you know." I countered, glancing at the cup of pens that sat on my desk and then looking back to his eyes. 

"I'm excited to have you and Eren on the squad now too. The both of you are very strong and resilient and will have a lot to contribute to the team. I am also happy to be leading with you. I love Hange, but if I had to combine squads with her, I think I just might lose it," I joked. Levi's straight face didn't even falter at the joke as expected.

"It is a pleasure working with you as well," he stated in his usual professional way.

"Anyways, about training," I continued once again, getting our conversation back on track. "I think our break day should be either Saturday or Sunday. It makes the most sense regarding both of our schedules."

He nodded and glanced his grey eyes down toward my desk, in thought as he considered the different options. His eyes once again met my own as he had decided. 

"Saturday is good," he replied blankly. 

"I think we should train before dinner. Four to six possibly? The cadets would have time before dinner to clean themselves up and I don't want to keep them waiting too long for dinner either," Levi suggested.

"Sounds good, how about we start Monday after informing the cadets of the new squad," I replied lightly.

He nodded.

I'm glad that Levi was cooperating with me. He was known to be more of the 'lone wolf' type of guy. 

"Also," he suddenly spat out as he stood up from the chair across from my own.

"I recommend you clean your office. It's a pigsty," he said, looking at the stack of books on the coffee table across the room that haven't been put away with a slight twinge of disgust apparent on his face. I didn't take offense to this. He did this all the time. 

"Alright," I said, rolling the sleeves of my button up shirt over my defined forearms and rested my calloused hands against my table, looking up at the now standing Levi.

He smoothed his shirt down with his veiney hands as he turned around, walking to the door and opening it, getting ready to leave.

"Thank you," I said before he step foot outside of the office. He stopped and looked over his shoulder, returning his blank gaze to my own. His eyes bored into my soul. That man scared me, to be honest.

"For what?"

"Discussing this with me. I appreciate it," I responded, glancing down at my hands, getting slightly anxious from his stare.

He nodded in acknowledgment and turned back to the door and exited, leaving me alone with my thoughts.


	5. Chapter Four

I sat in the silence of my office. Levi was right, I really did need to clean my office. Books were out of place, papers littered my desk, and dust was accumulating on the window sill. The mess was caused from my stressed state these past few days.

I stood up from my office chair and turned around to look through the crystal glass of the window. I looked out into the vast fields within HQ. I shifted my gaze up to the now pink sky as the sun was setting. The wispy clouds coated the sky and gave the world an ethereal effect.

I let out a sigh and turned around to make my way to the door. Just as I was about to open the door, I heard the sound of hard rapid knocks. I opened the door to be met with Hange's usual crazed face.

"[Name]! Lets go to dinner together!" they shouted at me excitedly.

"Alright," I sighed. It was going to be a long evening.

I walked out the door of my office and closed it. I began walking to the dining hall with Hange not far behind. They had a small smile spread across their face as the sound of our boots softly tapping at the ground as we were walking.

"You should sit with the commanding officers tonight. It's been a while since you have been at the table," they offered me kindly.

"Sure, I miss talking to you and Moblit. It really has been a while since we have talked," I replied, accepting her offer.

"Great! Now come on!" they shouted as they grabbed my arm and began dragging me to the dining hall.

I tripped over my own feet as they continued dragging me. They slowed to a halt as we made it to the doors. Not letting go of my arm, they opened up the door and we walked to the table which Commander Erwin was already sat at. 

Hange let go of my arm and sat across from the man and I sat to Hange's left. Erwin greeted us with a small smile and a nod. I returned the smile but that smile faltered as Hange began to rant about her titan experiments. 

I sighed and looked toward the door and my eyes met with Moblit's as he began to walk over to the wooden table. I shot him a warm smile and he returned it. He sat on the other side of Hange. I was reminded of how things used to be with Hange, Moblit, Elaine, and I. As Hange, Moblit, and I sat, my brain became more and more aware of Elaine's absence. 

_Come on! It's been years! I need to get over it!_

These thoughts plagued my head as the events that had transpired five years ago replayed painfully in my head.

**[Flashback (Also Gore TW)]**

I was sat atop my large horse besides Hange and Moblit. The multicolor leaves fell from trees in the wind and showered around us. The three of us were looking frantically for our friend, Elaine. 

"Lets split up!" Hange said, formulating a plan for our search. "[Name], Make your way to the West end of the forest; Moblit, make your way back East; and I'll look North," Hange instructed, seriously. 

Moblit and I nodded as we split apart from each other. We made our way through the large trees as we searched. I scanned the area. I looked from the left to the right, down and then up. As I was searching, I also made sure to look out for any titans in the surrounding area. 

My steed and I proceeded West as I continued looking for our lost friend. I rode in silence for a while, my panic never lowering, when suddenly a blood curdling scream ripped through the air. I quickly turned my horse to the sound and sprinted full speed toward the sound.

As I reached the sounds, I was able to see what was going on.

There it was.

Elaine was seconds way from being eaten alive by a titan. I quickly shot my ODM gear into a nearby tree to look for the easiest access point to the titan's nape. I jumped up into the crisp autumn air and shot my ODM gear once again into the nape of the titan, drawing my swords back, preparing to cut into the beast's flesh.

With a loud yell, I swung the blades into the titans nape, killing it instantly. It's limp body fell onto the forests floor and a large thud came from the impact. I glided my way down with the help of my gear to help up Elaine. 

As I reached the ground, I wiped the titan blood from my face. _Disgusting._ I reached out to Elaine to help her up from the ground. I bent down and nudged her with my arm, trying to get her up. As she wasn't moving, I began to panic. I shook her body violently. I looked over her body to find any wounds. She had nearly been split in half at the waist. I began to realize that I had killed the titan too late and she was dead.

I broke.

**[Flashback End]**

I was sat at the dining table with my face buried into my hands as the memory forever looped in my head. 

_Her blood stained hair_

_Her face, forever stuck in that expression of pure agony_

_The horrifying shrieks that escaped her mouth_

More and more details filled my mind. My shoulders began to shake as my breath picked up. Hange looked over at me, noticing my troubled state and put a hand on my shoulder. They leaned into my ear, and uncharacteristically whispered calmly, "Hey, are you doing okay?"

My face left my hands as I looked over to them. Their face expressed pain and worry.

"I'm okay, I just miss Elaine," I replied to them.

They pulled me into their chest, giving me a hug. I hugged them back.

"I do too," they replied.

We let go of each other. I felt better after that. Hange always knew how to make me feel better. I looked up to see a few new people at the table and I noticed Erwin's worried expression as he witnessed my small breakdown. I shot him a reassuring nod with a small smile as if to say, ' _everything is okay.'_

I scanned the table to see who all had joined. Miche was to Moblit's right, Klause was sat to Erwin's left, and Levi was sat to Erwin's right; across from me. He gave me a small nod of acknowledgment and I returned it. My eyes averted down into my bowl of soup and the bread next to it. I picked up the bread, pulling it apart, then putting pieces of it into my mouth.

Hange watched the small interaction between Levi and I. They leaned into my ear like before and whispered, "Whats going on between you and shorty?"

 _What?_ I genuinely did not understand what they had meant.

I spooned some soup into my mouth before answering. "What in the hell do you mean?" I replied, not whispering, unlike them.

"I'm not oblivious, [Name]."

I looked over at them with a confused expression. "What do you mean? I don't understand what you are getting at."

"Oh come on! You two are totally screwing!" she whispered excitedly as I took another mouthful of soup into my mouth.

I began choking on my soup. _What!?! What do they mean!?_ "Hange! What the hell! I am not! That is completely unprofessional!" I shot back at them, agitated. 

"Okay! Okay! I'm sorry!" they pleaded.

I finished my soup and looked up to the man in front of me. Levi was looking between Hange and I with confusion. I will admit, the guy was pretty damn hot.

_Wait no stop it! Brain, shut up! Stop thinking about that kind of stuff._

"I'm going to head back to my office. I'll see everyone in the morning, goodnight," I told the group at the table, wanting to leave the situation. Various people wished me a goodnight and told me that they would see me in the morning. I stood up from the table and made my way to the trash to throw away my stuff. I then made my way back to my office.


	6. Chapter Five

**[AN: In the military, female and male officers can be referred to as "sir" so I will be using that when the cadets address [Name]. Just so you guys don't get confused or anything:))]**

The hot sun burned at my closed eyelids causing me to awake from my slumber. I let out a tired groan and proceeded to rub the sleep from my eyes. It was Monday morning. Today Levi and I had to inform our squad of the new changes.

I sat up in my warm bed and stretched out my sore limbs. I swung my legs over the edge of my bed and allowed my bare feet to touch the cold wooden floor of my room. I stood up and yawned.

I made my way to my wardrobe and opened it. I undressed myself from my pajamas and began choosing my clothing. I pulled the white button up shirt over my defined muscles and began buttoning it up. I then proceeded to put on my pants. I began putting on the straps of my uniform, tightening them to my body, then pulled the brown uniform jacket on top. Lastly, I put on the knee-high brown boots.

After I was done dressing myself, I made my way to the vanity close to my bed. I sat at the chair and stared at the reflection looking back at me. My eye bags were more defined as I had just woken up. My hair was sprawled in several different directions. I picked up the comb in front of me and used it to untangle my messy hair the best I could. After my hair was untangled, I pulled it up and out of my face. I gave myself one final look before standing up.

I looked up at the clock hanging on my wall. 7 A.M.. I didn't want to have breakfast in the cafeteria because I didn't want to deal with Hange's high energy this morning. It's too early for that. I resorted to a cup of tea and some bread. It's not much, but it still settled my stomach.

I had nothing to do today until Levi and I's squad training. I did have plenty of the usual paperwork to do so I made my way to my office. I sat in my chair, then set a stack of the work in front of me. I cracked my fingers, getting ready for the hours of writing and signing that I would have to do. I opened my ink well and picked up my quill. I dipped the feathered pen in the ink and began to sign the papers that laid before me.

After I had finished my paperwork, I began to make my way to the training grounds. I stretched, warming my body up for the training session that was about to begin. Soon after, Levi had joined me.

"Good afternoon," I said to him, noticing his presence as I continued to stretch out my ligaments.

"Good afternoon to you as well," he replied back as he began to stretch as well.

After I had finished stretching, I heard the faint sound of boots colliding against the dirt ground as someone ran.

"Captain Levi!" the voice shouted out as they approached the two of us.

We both turned to see who the voice belonged to. My eyes were met with Eren's.

"Oh, good afternoon Captain [Name]," the boy said, recognizing who I was.

"Good afternoon," I replied to the young boy that stood in front of me.

"Start stretching. It's gonna be a long training session," Levi commanded the young boy.

The boy nodded as he began to stretch, worried if he didn't comply he would suffer retribution. As he stretched, the members of my own team became visible in the distance as they made their way to the training grounds.

"Captain Levi, what is Captain [Name]'s squad doing here?" Eren asked Levi.

"We will explain soon," Levi responded.

Soon enough, my team of seven members joined the three of us. After they were done stretching, they gathered together silently, waiting for Levi and I to explain what was going on.

"As you know, Captain Levi has sadly lost his squad in this past expedition. Erwin is planning a large expedition for the future. He rearranged the squads as well as added Levi and Eren to our squad. Levi will be co-leading this squad with me. You are to give him as much, if not more respect than you do give me. If I find out that you disrespected him in any way, which I will find out, you will be severely punished. Do you all understand me?" I said sternly to the group of teens.

"Yes sir!" they unanimously shouted back at me.

"Good," I smiled kindly at the group of people, "Now, lets get started. Pair up," I continued, going back to my more serious side as we transition between talking and training.  


\---------------------------------- Time Skip ----------------------------------

I panted in exhaustion as we wrapped up training. 

"Go wash up before dinner. We will meet here tomorrow," Levi commanded our newly formed squad, panting from exertion as well.

The group of kids left for the bathhouses as we stood, catching our breath for a moment. I picked up my large canteen and untwisted the top. I gulped a bit of water before screwing the lid back on it. I wiped the sweat off my forehead with my forearm before turning to Levi. I hold the canteen out to him, offering him a drink.

"No thanks. It has your germs on it," he responded to my offer in his usual manner.

I chuckled a bit at his response.

"Suit yourself," I turned on my heels, heading to my room for a shower before dinner.

  



	7. Chapter Six

I sighed as I sat in my office chair. My hair was still damp and had beads of water forming at the ends of it from the shower that I had recently had. My eyes scanned the disheveled room. I looked to the dust on the bookshelf, to the various papers on my desk, and to the miscellaneous items that were haphazardly sprawled around my quarters.

I thought back to the conversation Levi and I had about my messy office. Damn it, he was right. It was a pigsty. I looked up at my clock. I had enough time to at least clean most of it before dinner.

I got up from my leather chair and picked up the papers on my desk. They were mainly just random documents and unimportant scraps. I looked through them, making sure that there weren't any important files and then proceeded to toss them into recycling. 

I took my duster and began brushing the dust from my several ceiling-high bookshelves that lined one of the four walls. The majority of these books were gifted from friends or found randomly. I have read the majority of them. I have always enjoyed books. They allow me to escape from this nightmarish hell-like reality of titans and war.

I made my way over to the large windowsill behind my desk that had the rays of the setting sun peeking through its clear glass. I ran the duster against the wooden windowsill and watched as the layer of particles was lifted from the surface and absorbed into the duster's feather-like tendrils. 

I sighed and looked up at the ticking clock at my wall to see how much time has passed. Dinner was in ten minutes. I put away my duster and began preparing for dinner. My hair no longer dripped water and was mostly dry. I could finish up cleaning later. 

I decided to make it to dinner early. I began the short trip from my room to the cafeteria. I opened the doors to the large room. There were a few people in the room. Fifteen or twenty people max. A quiet murmur of cadets conversing about their day to one another filled the room. There was only one person at the officers table that I usually sit at. It was the one and only Levi. 

I made my way over to my usual table with the man who was sitting in solitude. I sat down across from the man like how I always do. He had noticed my presence as he was sipping his tea. He placed his tea next to a second tea cup he had in front of him. I found it quite peculiar that he had the second cup, but I didn't question the man. I knew better than to do that.

"Good evening," I acknowledged him.

"Good evening," the man replied.

A sheet of comfortable silence was draped over the two of us.

"Oh, I made you a cup of tea as well. I remember you saying that you liked tea," breaking the silence that hung between the two of you, he spat out suddenly but still in his usual stoic manner as he slid the cup over to me. I smiled kindly at him while making eye contact. I looked at the teacup and picked it up, placing it closer to myself.

"Thank you. You didn't have to do this. I really appreciate it," I responded to Levi.

"Don't mention it. Plus, this is my way of thanking you," he shot back.

"Thanking me for what?" I asked the man, taking in the wonderful aroma of the warm tea that had been gifted to me. I was confused to what he was talking about. Was he feeling okay? Is he sick? He never usually did things like this.

"For what you did for me after the last expedition. It meant more to me than you know. I know the tea isn't much, but it is the least I can do for now," Levi responded once again, opening up to me more.

My memory had came back to me.

[Flashback to a Couple Days Ago (No TW)]

It was late at night and I couldn't sleep. It was the night after the expedition. I had nothing to do so I grabbed my favorite book from my vast bookshelf and made my way to the cafeteria to make some tea for myself.

I opened the door to the cafeteria, expecting the room to be empty as it was quite late and past the cadet's curfew. Instead, I saw the slouched back of Levi as he held his face in one hand and his teacup in the other, obviously distraught about the events that had transpired earlier in the day during the expedition. I had never seen this man show much emotion at this point, let alone borderline crying.

He noticed my presence behind him and turned to meet my eyes. 

"What are you doing up so late?" he asked me.

"I was just getting some tea to enjoy while I read, but I could ask you the same question," I stated rather gently to the sad man that sat quite a few feet in front of me.

"Couldn't sleep," Levi replied blankly.

"Really though, are you okay?" I asked sincerely.

"Yeah, I'm fine," the man shot back, obviously lying. I think he was lying to himself as well.

I sighed, not pushing him anymore, and walked to the tea kettle and started warming up water to make my own cup of tea. I turned back to the man behind me.

"I know we aren't the closest and I'm not going to press you to tell me anything, but know that I am here for you. I heard what happened to your squad. Is that what's wrong?" I asked him in a soft calm voice.

He stayed silent for a moment.

He nodded sadly and rested his forehead in his hands once again.

I waited a few more moments for the kettle to start wheezing. I poured the steamy water in the teacup and placed the teabag within the cup. I picked up the cup and made my way across the cafeteria to sit myself down next to the man.

As I sat down, Levi looked at me with his grey eyes.

"You know you don't have to stay with me," he said sounding quite sad.

"I want to," I replied.

He seemed a little shocked by my words. He averted his gaze down to his own teacup, watching the wisps of steam rise from the leaf stained water, deep in his thoughts. I lifted my own porcelain cup, taking a small sip of the hot liquid; cautious as to not burn my lips.

He looked back at me with tired eyes.

"What about you, how are you feeling?" he asked, obviously concerned about my own mental well being.

"I am doing alright actually. Thank you for asking."

He hummed in response to say 'you're welcome'. 

"Levi," I said, addressing the man by his first name after a moment of comfortable silence brushed over the two of us.

He looked back at me, patiently waiting for me to continue.

"I know you are blaming yourself for their deaths. Don't. I know it's really hard not to. Trust me, I understand the feeling all too well. Your mental well being is very important. Especially with your high rank. Your performance affects the performance of the cadets not just during training, but also while we are out on the battlefield," I paused for a moment and looked up at him, making eye contact with Levi, 

"And not just because of your high rank. A lot of people care about you. Much more than you know. Stay strong for those who care for you as well as for those who can no longer fight along side us," I continued on, trying my best to console him.

He stared back at me and then looked back down at the dark wooden table. He let out a shaky breath.

"Thank you, [Name]. I needed that."

"Of course. Now, I think it is best for us to head to bed. You know how much paper work we will have tomorrow and this will be the last night we will get a good nights sleep for a while," I advised, getting up while finishing the rest of my tea. I noticed Levi's tea was gone so I took his own teacup to rinse it out and put it away.

"Goodnight," I said, glancing at the still sitting man as I turned to wash the cups.

"Goodnight."

[Flashback Over :0]

"Of course. I am always here for you," I replied as the events replayed in my head and smiled at him sweetly. 

We were suddenly interrupted by a loud voice that the two of us knew all too well.

"Hey there, my lovebirds! Whatcha guys up to?" Hange asked the two of us as they sat to my right like every mealtime.

Levi rolled his eyes after hearing the various nicknames Hange was calling the two of us while I ignored her, paying no mind to her usual taunts.

"Hello, Hange," I replied, already exhausted by their overwhelming energy.

"What were you two talking about?" Hange pressed, curious as to what we were talking about and what had caused me to be smiling at the man.

"Nothing that concerns you," Levi responded to them in his usual cold but somewhat comforting matter, eyes never leaving his cup of tea that sat in front of him.

Hange finally dropped the topic and began to ramble on with her titan shinanigans like every other night, making various comments about how cool Eren's titan is and new discoveries she had made.


	8. Chapter Seven

I sat up in my warm bed with the white military-issued duvet covering my lap. I was unable to fall asleep like every other night. The moon poured its silvery sheen through my window and onto the various objects within my room. My mind was both blank and full at the same time. I stretched out my back, lifting my arms above my head as I let out a tired yawn. It had to have been around 11:00 at night.

I swung my bare feet over my bed and put them on the ground as I stood up in an exhausted manner. I wasn't dressed in my normal Scout's uniform, but instead a comfortable sleeping tunic and some loose pants. I walked to my vanity and grabbed the shawl that was draped over my chair and placed it over my shoulders to keep my body heat near. I put on some shoes and made my way out of my bedroom.

I walked through the long halls of HQ, making my way to the stone stairs that lead to the roof. The only sounds that were present within the large building were the sounds of my own feet against the wooden flooring as well as faint snores from behind the doors of my comrades rooms. I began to walk up the stairs. Step by step, I drew nearer and nearer to the door that lead to the rooftop.

I placed my hand on the metal doorknob and twisted it. As the door opened, the evening air brushed against my face and filled my lungs. The feeling was glorious. I made my way carefully to the edge of the roof and sat with my legs dangling off the edge. I had always came here when I couldn't sleep. I leaned my back against the cold stone material beneath me and looked up at the star-filled night sky. 

The sight was breathtaking. I had always had been fascinated by space and the celestial beings that filled the universe up above. My thoughts were disrupted by the sudden sound of the door that I had arrived from closing. I jolted up from my laying down position and looked behind me for the source of the noise.

"What in the hell are you doing up here?" the all too familiar man asked me in both confusion and concern.

"Couldn't sleep," I paused for a moment before finishing, "Did you follow me?" 

"Yeah, you aren't good at being sneaky. I am surprised that your loud stomping didn't wake the entirety of the regiment," Levi exaggerated. 

I chuckled lightly at his remark. I knew he had still been awake as he had his own issues with insomnia. He made his way toward me, pausing just a few feet to my left before sitting with me, dangling his own feet over the edge, copying my own motions. I looked back up at the stars as the familiar silence filled the air once again.

I saw him out of the corner of my eye look up at the stars himself. 

"You know, I like to think that each of those little stars up there are our fallen comrades watching over us and protecting us from afar," the man said suddenly.

My eyes flickered down at him momentarily before flickering back up at the speckled sky.

"Yeah. I think about that too. The stars have always been a subject of interest for me. I wonder how many are up there and how many we cannot see. I wonder if there are other planets out there with other people who speak different languages. Possibly there is a world out there with technology that we couldn't even begin to dream of. Maybe there is even people on that planet looking up at our own and wondering what roams it just like us," I rambled a bit about my theories before my breath hitched in embarrassment. "I am so sorry. I'm rambling now," I spat out suddenly with a nervous shakiness present within my voice.

"No, it's okay. I find the universe interesting as well. The possibilities of what could be out there never fail to amaze me," Levi reassured me.

I pried my eyes away from the stars and looked to the man sat next to me to see him looking straight back into my own eyes. He suddenly looked back up into the sky pretending as if I hadn't caught him staring. I found it quite endearing. I didn't look back up at the sky, but rather out across the horizon. My eyes scanned the vast valleys and hills of grass and other flora. I sighed in contentment.

My eyes traveled back up to the sky to be met with the moon. I had laid my back against the hard roof once again. As I laid down, staring up at the sky, I could feel the stares of confusion that Levi had been shooting at me. My eyes traveled back down to Levi's form. I hadn't noticed how beautiful he looked. The way the moon reflected off of his fair skin. The way the space between his eyebrows wrinkled as they furrowed at me in judgement. I hadn't realized how beautiful his grey and mysterious eyes were. Or how soft and fluffy his cheeks looked in comparison to his sharp and defined jawline. Or the way his hair was uncharacteristically disheveled compared to his usual clean and perfect style from the obvious failed attempts to succumb into a deep sleep.

Hey! Stop thinking like that!

To snap myself out of my unprofessional thinking I suddenly cocked an eyebrow up in a challenging manner. 

"What?" I asked Levi questioningly, in reference to the plethora of glares and disapproving looks that he was giving me as I laid down.

"You are going to get all dirty if you keep laying down like that," he scolded.

I chuckled lightly at him.

"You need to learn to live a little, Levi. How about you join me down here. The view is much more beautiful," I suggested.

"Absolutely not."

I sighed in defeat. Then an idea sprung into my head. I suddenly sat up and unwrapped myself in the shawl I had placed over my shoulders before. I laid it down flat on the roof beside me just more than a foot away from my own body. 

"There. Now you don't have to worry about getting dirty," I smiled at him as I returned to laying my back down like before.

He sighed reluctantly before caving.

"Fine."

I could hear him shuffling as he laid down beside me on the fabric I had laid down for him. We both laid in silence as we comfortably watched the sky. Suddenly, a flash of light flew across the night sky.

"Look Levi, a shooting star. We have to make a wish," I said. I know it was somewhat cleché, but I didn't mind.

"What do you mean?" he asked confused.

I suddenly propped myself up on my elbows and twisted my midsection to face him and shoot him a look of disbelief.

"You have never wished on a shooting star?"

"No."

"It is pretty childish, but I'd like to think it works. Every time you see a shooting star, you make a wish and it is supposed to come true," I explained.

"That sounds stupid," he said looking at me.

"It does, I know. But still you should do it. I have already made my wish."

"What did you wish for?" The man asked.

"If I tell you it won't come true. That's the rules. I would definitely tell you if I could though," I explained with one of my trademark smiles.

"Well what am I supposed to wish for?" he asked, still unamused. 

"Whatever you want as long as it isn't impossible. For example, don't wish for fairies. That is just a waste of a wish."

"Alright then," He said as he looked back up at the sky, wishing to the stars.

I laid back down in my previous position and used my forearms as pillows behind my head. I had thought about the wish I had made. I wished to eventually find happiness and to not have to deal with this titan B.S.. As I began to get lost in thought, my eyes became heavier and my drowsiness blocked everything out. My mind began to slowly fall unconscious and I became more and more unaware of my surroundings.


End file.
